Thursday, December 13, 2007

Thursday Tab- Lowe Square Dance #968-10, 1950

This is the only set I own where one of the dolls is looking over her shoulder at us. All of her clothes are viewed from the back (so she can square dance). The background art is detailed and great fun, and the clothes are quite pretty.

I've talked often about reprints, and the fact that paper doll publishers would recycle books, dolls, sets, and clothing- reissuing the same book under several different names, and using several different publisher names (in fact Abbott was a subsidiary of Lowe). I happen to have 2 versions of this book. #968-10 Square Dance is the original book, published in 1950, with 6 pages of clothes. I also own Abbott #1394 Polka Party. Polka Party has the same dolls, arranged differently on the covers, and 4 pages of clothes. The clothes have been *distilled*- much of the detail was elminiated, and the colors reduced. Polka Party was printed on pulp paper rather than heavier white paper.

I'm uploading Square Dance, but I've also made a file of Polka Party showing the differences.

Click images to enlarge, right click to save as a jog. Print from any graphics program, clothes on plain paper, covers on card stock

Clarification : All foot measurements in the instructions are to be measured after the heel is finished. Measure the foot flap and gusset heel socks from the gusset edge, and measure the foot for short-row heel socks from the first full round after completing the heel.
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When you come upon instructions that say knit as for, referring you to a different pattern for the next step (for example, to the 40 stitch flap and gusset heel), knit that portion of your heel as you would for the referred pattern. In other words, knit it in the same manner, using the same short-row technique as in the referenced instructions. Knitting "as for" does not mean that you are to use the same number of stitches (which would be impossible, since only the 40 stitch heel uses forty stitches). Work the first two rows of your listed heel instructions, and then continue in the same manner as the 40 stitch flap and gusset heel (in other words, work one more stitch on each row, before doing the decrease and turn), until you have worked across all of the stitches.

Listen to the Knit Picks Podcast Interview

40 minutes of me blathering on and on while Kelly Petkun of Knit Picks asks some very good questions. Twice.

I Heart Felt

About The Free Pattern Downloads

You (individuals, not companies or corporations) may knit as many items from the Freebie Friday patterns (or any other original free patterns posted here) as you like. You may sell those items and make a bazillion dollars doing so. I would rather you didn't repost the pattern pages, or print them to hand out to others. Link to here so people can download their own copies, please. I would also prefer that you not teach the patterns as classes without contacting me first about it. Crediting the design and designer would also be nice.

I would love for people to send me jpgs of items knit from the Freebie patterns. I'll post them if any come in.

About Me

I'm a writer (6 mysteries, one mainstream novel, 5 knitting books, lots of designs and reviews, paper dolls, blather), wife, mother, and grandmother. I knit, I watch TV obsessively while I knit, I spin, I read, I listen to music, and I talk. A lot.